116-117 Oct PGA Senior PNC Preview V4

PGA CHAMPIONSHIPS Senior National Championship Heads to Virginia Georgia’s Sonny Skinner seeks first national title at 23rd Southworth Senior PGA Professional National Championship By Randy Stutzman onny Skinner takes pride in his ability to play golf at the highest level, and is seeking his first National Championship at the 23rd onship at Hermitage Country Club in Richmond S Southworth Senior PGA Professional National Championship that a PGA of America-sanctioned National presented by Mercedes-Benz in Northern Virginia on Oct. 6–9, would be Championship has been hosted in Virginia. a great leap in what has been a stellar playing career. “This is the largest event that we have had here at “Winning a National Championship would cap Creighton Farms and our entire team is extremely off my career for sure,” says Skinner, who shared excited and looking forward to hosting this Champi- sixth at the 2010 Senior PGA Professional National onship,” says Michael Vidal, the PGA head profes- Championship in his debut appearance. “It has sional at Creighton Farms. “This course will be a true been a major goal for me and something I think is challenge for all the players but one that they will doable. But I better be prepared.” thoroughly enjoy.” That ability was on full display last May in The 23rd edition of the Championship features Louisville, Ky., as the Georgia native earned Low a 264-player field of PGA Professionals at least 50 PGA Club Professional honors at Valhalla Golf Club years of age, who have qualified through one of in the 72nd Senior PGA Championship presented the 41 PGA Sections or finished in the top eight in Sonny Skinner is by KitchenAid. the 2010 Southworth Senior PGA Professional the only PGA Skinner, 51, the PGA head professional at River National Championship. member to have Pointe Golf Club in Albany, Ga., finished with a “This Championship is always so strong because won the PGA 6 294 Professional and total of -over-par in the most historic and it represents players who have been around the Senior PGA prestigious event in senior golf. game for a while and many who have played the Professional Player “To be the Low PGA Club Professional at the game at the highest level on the PGA Tour and of the Year awards. Senior PGA (Championship) was tremendously Champions Tour,” says Skinner. special and I take great pride in that The field for this year’s Championship will also 2011 Southworth Senior honor,” says Skinner, who was mak- feature nine past winners including defending PGA Professional ing his first appearance in that Champion Robert Thompson of Huntsville, Texas; National Championship Championship. “I felt great about Bill Britton (2009) of Rumson, N.J.; Jeff Coston When: Oct. 6–9 representing the 27,000 PGA Pro- (2006) of Blaine, Wash.; Kirk Hanefeld (2008) of fessionals at one of our Champi- Acton, Mass.; Tom Joyce (1990, ’91) of Huntington, Where: Creighton Farms, Aldie, Va.; River Creek Club, Leesburg, Va. onships.” N.Y.; Bill Loeffler (2007) of Castle Rock, Colo.; Ed 2000 01 Defending Champion: Robert Skinner is the only PGA of Amer- Sabo ( , ’ ) of Tequesta, Fla.; Mike San Fillipo Thompson, Huntsville, Texas ica member to capture both the (2002, ’05) of Hobe Sound, Fla.; and Jim White Prize money and purse/method of PGA Professional (2008) and Senior (2004) of Lincoln, Neb. play: A purse of $285,000 will be PGA Professional Player of the Year The National Champion will have his name distributed to a field of 264 (2010) awards. He also shared inscribed on the Leo F. Fraser Trophy, while the low competitors. The Champion will runner-up honors in the 2008 and 35 finishers will qualify for the 73rd Senior PGA receive $20,000. Following the first 2010 PGA Professional National Championship presented by KitchenAid, May 36-holes, the field will be reduced to the lowest 70 players and ties. Championships. 24–27, 2012, at The Golf Club at Harbor Shores in Those players will play the final two The 2011 Southworth Senior Benton Harbor, Mich. rounds at Creighton Farms. PGA Professional National Cham- The top eight finishers, including ties, will receive pionship will be contested at two exemptions into the 2012 Southworth Senior PGA unique Virginia venues: Creighton Professional National Championship and the top five Farms in Aldie and River Creek Club finishers will be exempt into the Champions Tour in Leesburg. This marks the first National Finals at TPC Scottsdale, provided they time since the 1949 PGA Champi- have submitted an entry by the entry deadline. ■ 116 | October 2011 | www.pgamagazine.com (password: PGAmag007).

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